St. Landry democrat., 1887-08-27

naked sword The Indians left the priests
stretched upon the ground and spread them
selves across the head Of the meadow. Sew
eral so placed themselves as to intercept the
iving knight by holding across his path the
ropes which they had taken from the necks
of the dead priests.
AS he came on, the Spaniard cut down
two or three naked savages who advanced
to meet him and tried to seize his birdie.
Passing the skirmishers in front, he observed
the ropes that were stretched before him.
1t was too late to shun the trap, therefore
he spurred his horse forward with the inten
ton of leaping the rope that was held dl-
rectly in front of him. The Indians at this
point OWNED his design and at the critical
moment raised their rope, hoping to sweep
cut the rope and, riding down three or four
savages who threw themselves across his
path, the Spaniard dashed away and was
soon lost to sight in a cloud of dust at the
edge of desert beyond the meadow.
Turning to look for the savages, all had
disappeared the dead priests as well. The
sky was ruddy in the east, and the whole
face of nature was as calm as when we made
camp the evening before.
We began a second night at this spot, there
being no other spring known to Us except the
one in the heart of the ruined city, mentioned
as being full of skulls, but when the Dong,
ding, dong of the great bell commenced,
and the other supernatural manifestations
were observed to be following, we determined
to endure no more. 1t was decided to pack
up and push out toward the mountains or
down to some of the lower valleys of the
canyon.
Arthur started to catch I'D our ponies, but
had only taken few steps when he stopped
short and cried: "Whv, what is this? 1t
has all ceased Ceased said I; what do
you mean? THERE'S perfect pandemonium
of uprOar in progress" Come here" said
Arthur.
| started toward him and was astonished
to find that as soon as | had taken few
steps beyond the spring all the turmoil
was at once at an end. The ruined city lay
dark and silent above 1t was like stepping
from building filled with humming and
clashing machinery into the calm and silence
of the open air. A step backward and the
supernatural machinery again roared and
whirred and shrieked. The town flashed to
the sky, the musketrv ratified the cannon
thundered. and the wells of the savages rent
the air. Having discovered that there was
dividing line between the natural and the
supernatural, we fastened to move our
blankets outside Of the ghostly atmosphere.
This done we slept undisturbed by sight or
sound, though for ought we know the
mounted Spaniard may have ridden directly
over us in his wild flight.
The next day, after some further explora-
tions we started on our return. We halted
town where we had at first stopped, but
made our camp above the spring and above
the old tunnel. We determined to test at
this point what we had discovered below in
regard to the supernatural demonstrations
being confined within certain bounds. We.
therefore, sat up until the stars told US that
it was nearly an hour after midnight. All
was dark and silent down in the ruined
city. We much doubted seeing anything
of ghostly nature. However, We
arose and moved down the valley
toward our old camp. Suddenly, from
startling and almost overpowerlng. Again
the supernatural machinery whirred and
clashed. The boom of the alarm bell dinned
our ears lights flashed up in all parts Of the
town, and thousand cries were heard ming
ling with the discharge of firearms. Coming
unexpectedly the effect was stunning almost
to the paralyzation of ones faculties. At one
moment all had been calm, dark and natu-
raj; then the ghostly lights flashed through
all visible space and demoniacal sounds rent
the air.
Turning about, we found that we were
standing just opposite the mouth of~the old
tunnel where we had twice seen the white
robed lady fall beneath the warclub Of the
painted brave. A step backward and all
was again dark and quiet. We returned to
our blankets and for long time lay awake
discussing the strange things that had be
fallen US and the fearful sights and sounds
of the ruined city we had found in the wilds
of the Sierra Madre.
The only conclusion at which we were
able to arrive was that within certain bounds
all was charged with emanations of those
who fought and fell or were butchered in
and about the little walled city. For ages.
perhaps forever, the ''blood of the slain cries
from the ground" The sights and sounds
we supposed esaw and heard probably had
no existence outside of ourselves. but were in
some mysterious way photographed upon
the brain from the essences Of things that
had once been and which still impregnated
the earth rocks, and all about the place These
emanatons when the hour and the ele-
ments favored, took possession of our senses.
We passed from our natural state and from
the world of reality and the present into the
realms Of the past and, as one in trance,
saw sights and heard sounds that belonged
to by-gone times. But be this as it may.
firmly believe that the town whose ruins we
saw was destroyed and its people massacred
exactly as depicted in our vision, or what
ever it was, even to the murder of the poor
girl near our camp That woman did die
there we have some evidence.
Here Mr.. Farquhar handed me beauti-
fully wrought cross of gold and asked D.:
What name do you find on the back of
that"
| read "Engracia Aguilliar'
Il picked up that cross" said Farquhar.
"near the mouth of the old tunnel where
we saw the brains of the white-rObed lady
l shall always feel that the woman Whose
death scene was so wildly placed before us
was once the owner Ct this cross-was Grace
Aguilliar."
FANATICISM IN SPAIN.